News Briefs

According to local news reports, Harvest Market is heading over the border from Illinois into Indiana. The independent, which runs stores in Champaign, Ill. and Springfield, Ill., has applied for a permit to operate a new business in Carmel, Ind.

The new store in the suburb of Indianapolis, spanning a 75,000-square-foot space, would take the place of a former Marsh Supermarkets location. That store closed more than five years ago.

[Read more: "Progressive Grocer Honors 25 Outstanding Independents"]

Operated by Niemann Foods, Inc., Harvest Market focuses on providing fare from farmers and food makers and sharing the stories of its suppliers. Among other things, the store is known for its fresh perimeter, which includes an expansive deli area complete with a butter churn room and a bakery featuring down-home favorites like cobblers, buckles, bread pudding and buttermilk biscuits. The stores in Illinois regularly host cooking demonstrations and include an in-store restaurant with foods made with farm-fresh ingredients for breakfast, brunch and lunch.

Niemann Foods runs more than 100 retail businesses, including several County Market grocery stores, across Illinois, Missouri and Indiana. The company was founded in 1917.

It’s already known as a hub featuring a diverse roster of merchants, including grocers, and now, The Original Farmers Market in Los Angeles is seeking additional unique vendors. The nearly century-old market announced a new “pop-up” contest with a $50,000 prize package that includes a 1,500-square-foot spot in the market, three months of free rent and marketing and merchandising support.

This is the first time that The Original Farmers Market, which hosts almost 100 grocers, retailers and restaurants at the corner of 3rd and Fairfax in L.A., has hosted a competition for would-be merchants. Applications will be open through the end of April and can be accessed via the New Originals website.

[Read more: "Whole Foods Market Is Looking for Up-and-Coming Brands to Stock Its Shelves"]

According to the market, a group of finalists will be announced on May 8 and will go on to be interviewed in person by the organization’s executive team. A social media voting process and Finalist Showcase Day on May 20 are also part of the final round of judging before the grand prize winner is named in June.

"Since the Market's beginnings in 1934, we have been an important incubator for entrepreneurs and family-owned small businesses in Los Angeles – a place where customers can delight in finding new favorites and innovative businesspeople can succeed," said Stan Savage, president and CEO of the A.F. Gilmore Co., longtime owners and operators of The Original Farmers Market. "This competition gives us the unique opportunity to nurture the next wave of business owners and introduce Market customers to new and innovative fares and concepts." 

The Consumer Brands Association (CBA) has promoted Stacy Papadopoulos – who served as interim CEO during the organization's search for a new leader – to COO and general counsel. She moved up from her most recent role as general counsel and SVP of operations and initiatives.

Papadopoulos joined CBA (formerly the Grocers Manufacturers Association) in 2019 and steadily expanded her scope of responsibilities on the executive team. In addition to leading the legal and operations functions and managing finance, facilities, IT and human resources, she also gained oversight of the regulatory affairs and technical affairs functions last year. In her new capacity, she will continue to oversee operations and expand CBA’s ability to address legal issues facing the CPG industry.  

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Her background includes a tenure as general counsel and SVP at the American Gaming Association.  Papadopoulos was a partner at the Potomac Law Group in Washington, D.C. as well.

“Stacy is a great partner, a respected leader across the organization and everyone who works with her recognizes the important role she plays on our leadership team. This is a well-deserved recognition for the value that she provides to our organization, members and to me, personally. I am thrilled to see Stacy continue to grow in this empowered position,” said David Chavern, president of the Arlington, Va.-based CBA.

One might say she brushed aside the competition. The winner of this year’s Pop Up Grocer Fund, which supports startup brand founders, is a dental school graduate who has created a line of sustainable, eye-catching oral care products.

Onaedo Achebe received the honor from Pop Up Grocer for her line of Minti Oral Care items that include corn fiber floss, toothpaste tablets sold in tins and compostable bamboo brushes. “When reviewing the many incredible applications for The Pop Up Grocer Fund, Minti stood out as a brand that represents everything we value the most,” the company shared in the announcement.

[Read more: "Pop Up Grocer Settles Down in NYC"]

Pop Up Grocer launched the program as a way to support founders who are “under-resourced and under-represented.” The company donates a portion of total sales to the fund.

As the 2023 winner, Achebe will receive services from Pop Up Grocer’s team and monies to help bolster her enterprise. Her Minti offerings – which launched in 2022 – will be placed in a future Pop Up Grocer activation.

In the announcement, Achebe said that she is grateful for the opportunity to expand her brand as a way to reinvigorate a mature category with consumer-friendly and eco-friendly dental health items. “One of the biggest challenges I face as a small business owner is finding the resources to invest in new technologies, expand my product line and reach  wider audience. This grant will enable me to do all of those things and more,” she declared.

While Pop Up Grocer is known for its traveling locations in different cities, the company recently opened its first permanent store in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City.

Family- and employee-owned Festival Foods is boosting its associate discount to 15%. This discount is available to all associates, both full- and part-time, along with members of their immediate households.

“We want to help our teammates stretch their dollars when it comes to buying the groceries they need to feed themselves and their families,” said Mark Skogen, Festival Foods president and CEO. “A higher discount frees up some crucial dollars so they can use them on other areas of their budgets.”

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The retailer, which previously offered associates a 10% discount, said that the savings are good on both full-price and sale items. Associate purchases also add up to gas savings: For every $10 spent at Festival Foods, associates (and customers) can earn a penny off fuel purchases at Kwik Trip locations through participation in the Festival Foods Gas Rewards Program.

“We are thrilled to increase our discount and give our team members – who are the foundation of our success – another reason to love working for a winning Wisconsin retailer,” Skogen said. “Right now, many companies are looking to cut costs, and that often means reducing or eliminating the associate discount – we wanted to go in a different direction.”

Festival Foods operates 40 stores across Wisconsin. The grocer will open its newest store in Chippewa Falls, Wis., later this year.

De Pere, Wis.-based Festival Foods is No. 93 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.

Vertical-farming company Bowery Farming is continuing to grow its senior leadership team with the addition of Matt Williams in the role of chief sales officer. Joining New York-based Bowery at a time of accelerated growth – in just the first few months, the company has added 400 new retail locations – Williams will lead its continued rapid retail footprint expansion. 

Williams brings extensive industry experience across produce, specialty foods, perishable, frozen and more to his latest role. He comes to Bowery from Paramount, Calif.-based Tattooed Chef, a plant-based frozen food company, where he held the role of chief growth officer. Previously, he was president at Beecher’s Handmade Cheese, SVP at Dean Foods and VP of national accounts at Odwalla, as well as serving as a board member for Organic Valley Fresh. Williams earned a B.A. at the Pennsylvania State University and a master’s in food industry management from the USC Marshall School of Business. 

[Read more: "Bowery Farming Hires SVP of Sales"]

“Bowery is a fast-growing advocate for climate-smart foods, and a company that I’ve long admired,” noted Williams. “I’m excited to join the team at such a pivotal moment. As Bowery expands its geographic farm locations, retail footprint and grows its product portfolio, demonstrating leadership within [controlled-environment agriculture], I’m committed to supporting the company’s mission to reimagine the future of food.”

Bowery’s pesticide-free produce is now available at more than 1,500 stores and e-commerce partners. The company also just launched a new advertising campaign, running through April 30, that demonstrates how its produce is grown “smarter.” The campaign features outdoor placements in high-traffic locations in New York City and Washington, D.C.